Coal boring unit



Feb. 16, 1954 A. F. cAsTANoLl ET AL 2,669,441

COAL BORING UNIT Gttorneg Feb. 16, 1954 A. F. CASTANOLI ET AL 2,659,441

COAL BORING l UNIT Filed Jan. 4, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 :1 ve ntors Alder'F. Cascanoh. ah d Desmond F. Parker Cttornegs Feb. 16, 1954 Filed Jan. 4, 1950 A. F. CASTANOLI ET AL COAL. BORING UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Alder' F; @as-an oh and Desmond Parker Gttolruegs Feb- 16, 1954 A. F. cAsTANoLl ET A1. 2,669,441

COAL BORING UNIT Filed Jan. 4, 195o 4 sheets-sheet 4y Ad er E Cas: anch. and DesmondF. Parker Cttomegs Patented Feb. 16, 1954 i UNITED STATI-:s PATENT OFFICE COAL BORING UNIT Alder F. Castanoli, Huntington, and Desmond F.

. Parker, Charleston, W. Va.

Application January 4, 1950, Serial No. 136,71

4 Claims.

This invention relates to earth boring and is expected to vhave its chief field of use in the mining of bituminous coal. Without implying necessary-limitationto that eld, the invention will b'e'described as embodied for that particular use. Coal commonly occurs as veins or layers which vary in thickness and in slope. One method of removing coal from such veins has depended on the use of augers, which are rotated by power .units located in the drift while being fed axially by said units. There are many objections to this practice,v such as the excessive production of iines, inability to inspect the cutting portion of the auger while in action, severely limited penetration and inability to ventilate the bore hole, the last of these creating a serious explosion hazard.

The invention combines a number of features, some of which (individually considered) have been used with some' success in other relations, and provides a mechanism having a number of important practical advantages arising partly from novel individual components and partly from the manner in which various components are combined.

Generally stated, a rotary boring head of special form, is xed on the end of, and is rotated by, a much smaller tubular boring bar. The boring bar is rotated and fed axially by a power vunit located in a drift.

, Since the boring bar operates in positions in which its axis is at most only moderately inclined from the horizontal, it is provided with internalv spiral flights and serves by its rotary `motion as a conveyor. The boring head is so contrived as to deliver the coal cut thereby to the interior of the bar, so that it is fed through the tubular bar, and is delivered adjacent the power unit, to any suitable transport device such as a vbeltconveyor.

The boring head is preferably of such large .diameter relatively to the boring bar that a man can enterthe bore hole at either side of the bar .and reach the boring head for purposes of inspection or repair, particularly replacement or adjustment of the cutting bits.

The axial feed range of the power unit is necessarily limited by the width of the drift in which it must operate. To meet this condition .the boring bar is constructed in sections not longer than the axial feed range of the power unit` In this `way the boring bar may be periodically lengthenedby inserting sections.l y f `Ataappropriate intervals the bar is sustained inthe bore hole to maintain itsl alinernent. For

2 this purpose the use of peripherally wheeled spiders is contemplated. These are attached to -and turn with the boring bar, their wheels tracking in the bore hole. i

The boring head is specially contrived to cut an annular peripheral groove. The coal removed from this groove is unavoidably considerably degraded in size. The encircled portion or core, is split into lumps by a central point or gim1et, tapered in form, and designed to develop large wedging bursting forces at the center of the core. Hence, a high percentage of lump coal and `a satisfactorily low percentage of fmescharacterizes the performance of the machine.

By closing the bore hole around the tubular boring bar it becomes possible to use a blower to circulate air or some other protective gas over the boring head. Probably the better of the two possible iiow patterns is first inward through the interval between the bar and the wall of the bore hole and then outward through the vtubular bar with the recovered coal.

The invention thus attains a number of important objectives. Production of lump coal is favored. The cutting head is always reasonably accessible for inspection and repair, and .the depth of penetration is large. The boring head can be guided to some extent. Friction losses are minimized. The coal is delivered by the tubular boring bar at a level well above the bottom of the bore hole, and so may fall directly into a conveyor in the drift, without imposing troublesome limitations on the design of that conveyor.

Finally the cutting space can be adequately ventilated by simple means, so that safer conditions are attained than can be had with prior art boring operations.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a drift, a bore hole leading therefrom, and a machine embodying the invention in place.

Figs. 2 and 3 are cross-sections taken respectively on the lines 2-2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1, and drawn 'on a slightly larger scale than that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the boring head shown inFig. 1.

Fig.'5 is an end elevation of the boring head shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on theline 6--6 of Fig. 1, showing a sustaining collar for the tubular boring bar.

Fig. 7 vis a view similar to Figs but showing a preferred type of boring head designed to produce the minimum practicable percentage of fines.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the head shown in Fig. '7.

Figs. 9 and l0 are fragmentary views, illustrating one possible removable mounting for the cutting bits.

Refer first to Figs. l to 3 inclusive. The power unit is mounted on a base l2 which is leveled and retained in position by the screw spuds i3. Additional means to hold the base i2 would commonly be used but they are conventional and arenot illustrated in the drawings.

Mounted on top of the Vbase I2 are parallel track rails I4 and adjacent each rail 'is a rack rail l5. A generally rectangular frame: structure I6 is supported by rollers, two of whichappear at l1 and all of which run on one or the other of the track rails i4. A positive drive is secured' by toothed 'pinions I8 which engage the Y teeth on the rack 'rails t5. The pinions 'I8 Vare connected to rotate in unison' by sets of miter gears I9 and three connecting shafts 2| which 'are best Ashown in Figs. 2 and 3.

A motor 22 drives a pinion 123 through va Vreduction train in the housing 24. The pinion 23 rotatesthe horizontal one of the three shafts 2i through miter Vgears l25- 'and a manually operable fclutch 26. Thus, the motor 22 can move the carriage -6V at slow speed' in the direction of the 'lengths of the tracl: rails l-.

tubular driving sleeve 2l' has a flange 28 at approximately its mid-length and this flange which kis circular engages V.four g-rooved rollers 29 *mounted in the' corners of the frame it as best shown in Fig. '3. It follows that the member 2l' v'can rotate in 'the frame i6 butca-nnot move axially't'herein. The forward end of the member 2l,

e. the end toward the boring head hereinafter' "described is provided with a flange 3i to which gear 24, Ya sprocket 35 and this drives, through a -'sprocket chain 36, a Vring sprocket '3l which encircles and Vis attached to the member 27.

It follows that whenever the motor 22 operates, the

member 27 will be rotated counter-clockwise '(as viewed l'in Figs; 2 and 3) at slow speed.

A belt or chain conveyor 53 'extends longitudifria-Ilyacross` the platform i2 so that its run is always beneath the outer end of thel tubular member 21. the motor 39 which'is mounted on .the base 2 'and'which is connectedv to ydrive one of' the pulleys on which the conveyor 3S runs. The conveyor 3-8 delivers coal to another conveyor' 4! which as indicated in Fig. l extends along the drift in themine. Of course, the conveyor 33 could deliveer to any transport facility operable in the drift.

As best indicated in Fig. 1 the boring bar is madefup vof a plurality of sections 3.2. To reduce bending stresses in this boring bar, .it is :sustained at intervals by spiders Vof' the type lshown in Fig. 4o. Only one such spider is "shown in Fig. 1 but it will be understood that as the boring progresses additional spiders will beadd- This conveyor is constantly driven by 4 ed. Each spider has a central ring 42 which is bolted to the connected flanges 33 of the sections 32. The ring carries a plurality of peripheral casters 43 which are swiveled so as to track fairly in the bore hole. Their function is to keep the boring bar centered and alined.

The sections 32 of the boring bar and the tubular section 21 which is connected thereto and Adrives the boring bar are equipped with a spiral conveyor Hight 44 so that as the boring bar rotates, coal will be fed through the boring bar from the boring head through the tubular member 21 and Will be discharged therefrom upon the conveyor 3B. As better shown in Figs. 4 4and "5, 'the' 'boring headcomprises a tubular unit 45 which forms an extension of the boring'bar and which carries approximately radial cutter bars 46, two such bars being shown.

Each cutter bar 46 takes the form of an I-beam welded to the tubular unit 45 and inclined slightly forward. The forward flange` 'portion of each 'bar 4 6v is provided `with la row `or' sockets. each lof which receives a 'removable cutter lvbit 41. Each bity is retained by a corresponding :socket-screw 4U. At each end of each bar d'6 there rare simi.- -lar socketsffor bits '43` and 49, 'which 'respectively are directed inward toward and outward. from the Vaxis of rotation of theboring bar. Ajgusset plate 50 and triangular `webs F54 and .55 Welded inplace-on the trailing 'side'bracel the cutter bars 46, and serve also as pick-up members-which lift vcoal cuttings and fdeliverthem'vto `the' .interior of member 45 through the notches .52, 53y `formed inthe forward end of member -4'5 for that purpose. Y i

A gimlet 5i centered on fthe axis of rotation, serves to center the boring head, and :also to split `and shatter the core ileft at-the center 'by the boring head.

As Vwill be readily understood from `al1-exam mation of Figs. 4 and 5, the teeth 41, '48 and 149 produce an annular eut. The--cuttings are .necessarily degraded considerably as to -size .but the core which is not cu-tbut -is 'split by the `gimlet 5| produces a large percentage -of l-umlp coal. Y It should be observed `in Fig. 4 thatthe flights 44' extend forward nearly to the for-ward end of the tubular member y45 so that the more steeply pitched spiral flights 5S mounted within the member 45 assist in the feeding operation.

It is contemplated that the "bore 'hole pro duced by the boring vhead will usually have va diameter of '6 feet or more so that whenthebor ing machine is shut down, an operator can go through the bore hole alongside the boring 'bar andv reach theboring head for purposes of in specti'on orrepair. v

Reverting now to Fig. '1, it has .been found desirable to lmount a vpartition 51 `in the `n'irnitl'l of the .bore hole so that it ,surrounds theboring bar 32. This makes it possible to Vconnect a blower 58 to the space between the boring bar sections 32 and the walls of the borehole. .The blower 58 is driven by a motor 59 'and the air discharged by the lblower flowsv outward around the boring bar units 32, thenflows -over the boring head and escapes through Vthe interior of the boring bar sections 32. In this way ventilation is `secured andthe hazard of gas explosion is minimized.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is illustrated a modified form of boring head. lThis is carrie'dby atubular section |45 analogous `to thetublar ,section -45 already described. Attached 'to l,theiiforward 'end of the'section H5 isfa aringsshell 150. To

the forward peripheral portion of this are mounted cutter bars |46 which are of much smaller radial extent than the cutter bars 45 of Figs. 4 and 5. These are equipped with cutting bits |41, |43 and |49 positioned to form an annular cut of very moderate radial extent.

A gimlet |5| analogous to the gimlet 5| is used and performs a splitting operation on the core. A plurality of pick-up vanes |55 are mounted within the head |50 and serve to pick up the cuttings and the lump coal and deliver them to the interior of the boring bar. To permit this action, the peripheral portion of the member |59 has notches |52 and |53 analogous to the parts 52 and 53 shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The boring head shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is functionally similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 but the pick-up and conveying action is better and the percentage of lump coal which will be delivered is greater. These considerations will justify the more expensive construction in particular cases.

We claim:

1. The combination of a generally horizontal tubular boring bar comprising separable sections; means for releasably connecting said sections end to end; helical conveyor flights carried by and projecting radially from the inner surface of the tubular sections; a boring head comprising cutting means and elevating means, connected to one end ci said boring bar, the boring head being of a diameter several times that of the bar and being rendered effective by rotation of the bar to lift cuttings and deliver them to the interior of the tubular boring bar; and driving means operatively associated with the other end of the boring bar and operable to rotate the boring bar and to advance it in the direction of its axis, said boring bar being the sole means to transmit torque between the driving means and the boring head.

2. The combination of a generally horizontal tubular boring bar comprising separable sections; means for releasably connecting said sections end to end; helical conveyer flights carried by and projecting radially from the inner surface of the tubular sections; a boring head comprising cutting means and elevating means, connected to one end of said boring bar, the boring head being of a diameter several times that of the bar and being rendered effective by rotation of the bar to lift cuttings and deliver them to the interior of the tubular boring bar; driving means operatively associated with the other end of the boring bar and operable to rotate the boring bar and to advance it in the direction of its axis, said boring bar being the sole means to transmit torque between the driving means and the boring head; and centering means for said tubular boring bar at intervals in the length thereof, each comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced casters oonnected to said boring bar, said casters engaging the bore hole produced by said boring head.

3. The combination of a generally horizontal tubular boring bar comprising separable sections, means for releasably connecting said sections end to end and helical conveyer nights mounted within said sections; a rotary boring head comprising cutting means and elevating means, the latter rendered eective by rotation of the head, to lift cuttings and deliver them to the interior of said boring bar, said boring head being of a diameter several times that of the bar and being connected with said bar to rotate therewith; a motor unit operable to rotate said boring bar and to feed it in the direction of its axis; a blower; and means for directing gas propelled by the blower so that it flows in two passes one to and the other from said boring head, one of said passes flowing axially through the boring bar and the other flowing through the interval between the boring bar and the wall of a bore-hole formed by the boring head.

4. The combination of a rotary tubular boring bar; a boring head carried by said bar and arranged to cut an annular groove of greater diameter than said bar encircling a core which is coaxial with said bar; a core splitting means coaxial with said bar and head carried by the head and adapted to penetrate and disrupt said core as the head advances axially; lifting means associated with said boring head and adpted to feed mterial from said annular cut and from said disrupted core to the interior of said bar; conveying means arranged to operate within said bar and to feed said material in a direction away from said head; and driving means operable to rotate said bar and advance it in the direction of its axis, said tubular boring bar being the sole means to transmit torque between the boring head and the driving means.

.ALDER F. CASTANOLI. DESMOND F. PARKER.

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